Quoting: yeeteridoo
All 3 of these guys can play center.
Also current need should't dictate draft picks for a team that needs everything on the long term future.
On the long term in terms of top 6 fwd you have Buch, Kyrou and Thomas. Mayyybe Vrana. These guys would essentially complete the group.
Value just isn't there for D here. Shouldn't reach for one. Willander is a low upside guy and shouldn't be a first. Dragicevic doesn't fit the blues style at all. You could try to argue Cagnoni or Akey but they are more day 2 guys to me. CHL D with their type of profile rarely go in the first round anyway (Christian Kyrou, Mats Lindgren, Ty Nelson...). Everybody drafted by the blues here are incredible upside picks and not reaches at all imo. All players way underrated by public rankings/mocks.
Oh dear... okay, let's break it down.
1 - All three "can play" center at their current levels. In the NHL, maybe one does. Besides, the Blues do not like tiny centers, especially when all three are WILD reaches taken way too soon.
2 - This isn't even remotely true. Not sure where you got that idea, to be honest. The Blues have wingers and goalies falling out of their ears. The want Cs and Ds unless some big, fast rounded winger falls something stupid.
3 - Bruh. First of all, Thomas is a C. And the Blues also have Neighbours, Snuggerud, Bolduc and Robertsson. Two of those guys are among the top 25-30 drafted prospects in all of hockey, and another is also top 50-ish. And yes, Vrana counts. They have loads of young top 6 wingers.
4 - Ehh... none of those players should be a Blues 1st round pick. Dragicevic is a one trick pony, and the rest would indeed be major reaches. I agree with all that. However, Price, Lindstein, Bonk, Simashev, Strbak and Molendyk would not be reaches at all, they would all be excellent value for a late 1st.
So yeah, again, not trying to be mean, but you definitely do not understand the Blues pool or current station and you're big time underrating a bunch of solid D-men. These Blues picks are just really, really bad, and they are simply not happening. Not a chance in hell.